I took my wife and our 5-year-old son to a restaurant – That’s when he pointed at the waiter and said, “That’s the man on Mom’s phone.”
Rachel immediately blurted out, “Chad, no.”
She said more than she intended.
“I know her as Rae,” he said.
“Her name is Rachel.”
“I know that now.”
She said more than she intended.
“How do you know her?” I asked.
Chad looked at Rachel, and anger pierced his embarrassment. “We met online. She told me she was divorced.”
A couple at the next table stopped talking.
Rachel closed her eyes. “It was complicated.”
“No,” Chad said. “You said he left.”
“She told me she was divorced.”
Chad looked at Elliot. “She said your son stays with you most weekends.”
“My son,” I said. “He’s standing right here.”
“I didn’t know. Sir, I swear I didn’t know. She said your marriage was over. She said you were barely back home. We only met twice…”
For a moment, I almost laughed.
“I went home every night.”
Rachel grabbed my sleeve. I took a step back.
“Eric, I can explain.”
“She said your marriage was over.”
“You’ve explained a lot of things,” I said. “But not to me.”
“Is there a problem?”
Chad carefully placed the tray down. “I need a minute.”
Rachel’s face turned red.
I turned to April. “Could you pack up my son’s food? And maybe bring him a scoop of ice cream to go?”
” Of course. “
“I need a minute.”
April held out her hand to Elliot. “Will you help me choose the sprinkles?”
“Go for it, mate.”
***
When he left, Rachel lost control. “You humiliated me.”
I stared at her. “Our son identified another man in the middle of my birthday meal, and you’re worried that people heard him?”
Her mouth trembled. “I felt alone.”
“Then you should have told me.”
“I tried.”
“You humiliated me.”
“No. You made insinuations. You called me predictable while I was packing Sasha’s care boxes and giving Elliot a bath.”
Chad ran both hands over his face. “I’m quitting. I can’t do this shift.”
The manager gave Rachel a hard look, then led her towards the kitchen.
Rachel picked up her purse. “Can we go somewhere private?”
“No,” I said. “You don’t get to choose the room where I’ll learn the truth. You’ve already chosen the lie.”
His eyes filled with tears. “Eric.”
“I’m taking Elliot to Amanda’s for tonight. I’ll text you when we get there, and we’ll talk when he’s not there.”
“Can we go to a private place?”
